Mai's Promise
by AvatarAmidala1985
Summary: A short story that takes place right after Zuko's Agni Kai with his father. Mai makes a promise to wait for him, Maiko story.


I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender, Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko do.

Mai's Promise

Zuko patiently sat still as the healer removed the bandaging that covered the left side of his face to clean the burn wound that his father Fire Lord Ozai gave him during an Agni Kai. When Zuko had agreed to the Agni Kai, he had thought that he would be fighting with the general that he had insulted, but since that it had taken place in the Fire Lord's war chamber, Ozai had decided that Zuko would have to fight him. What kind of father willingly agrees to fight his fourteen year old son, thought Zuko in anger. When he saw that it was his father he would have to fight, he begged his father to call off the Agni Kai. Instead of being merciful, he called his son a disgrace and told him that he would be banished from the Fire Nation until he could find the Avatar. To make matters worse, Ozai then burned the left side of his face. It was so embarrassing for him to be burned like that in front of his little sister Azula. If Iroh hadn't volunteered to travel with Zuko, he would have been left to his own devices.

When the healer removed the bandages he snuck a peek at the damage in the reflection of a mirror hanging on the wall, the sight horrified him. A huge flame shaped scar practically covered the left side of his face. His ear was shriveled up and he could barely open up his eye. Since Ozai had ordered most of Zuko's hair to be shaved off, so everyone could see the mark of the banished prince, he couldn't use his hair to hide his scar. All that was left of his hair was his ponytail. I look like a freak, thought Zuko. "Get out, leave me alone," screamed Zuko. The healer franticly ran out of the room.

Zuko then smashed the mirror with his fist, not caring about the fact that shards of glass were being embedded in his hands. He then started to smash bottles of medicine and salve. He then started to use his Firebending to catch the wall hangings on fire. He wanted to cause damage to something, he didn't care what it was. "Zuko, what are you doing," asked Mai franticly as she ran into the room. When Zuko saw Mai, he quickly tried to cover his scar with his hand. Usually Mai talked with a monotone, so it surprised him that she wasn't even hiding the emotions in her voice. "What are you doing here, Mai," asked Zuko. Mai usually spent time with Azula and Ty Lee, so it was odd to see her by herself. "Azula had told what had happened to you and I wanted to see you before you left for your search for the Avatar," said Mai. "Thank you for your concern Mai, but I still don't understand why you are here," said Zuko. Though he didn't want to show it, he was pleased that Mai had come to see him, he had always thought that she was very pretty.

"Zuko you need someone to put medicine on your scar and put new bandages on it or you will get an infection," said Mai as she pulled him out of his thoughts. Mai directed Zuko over to the bed and made him sit down before she picked up one of the few jars of burn salve that hadn't been destroyed in his fit of rage. Zuko quietly marveled at the fact that she was applying the salve without flinching or showing any sign of disgust. After she put the bandages over his scar, she then picked up a pair of tweezers to pick out the shards of glass in his hands. "I am very grateful, but why are you even doing this, you are one of Azula's best friends and I don't think that she would like for you to play healer with her disgraceful older brother," said Zuko trying to hide the anger that he felt at his current situation. "In spite of the fact that Azula is my friend, I still think that the way that your father and your sister are treating you is wrong. I also don't mind doing this, I have always been interested in being a healer. While I went to the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, I would take lessons from the school healer," said Mai. Zuko smiled for a long time he thought that Mai was only interested in her throwing knives, but he liked it that she wanted to learn how to become a healer. "But I still don't understand why you are helping me, the banished prince who lost his honor," asked Zuko quietly.

Mai looked down and blushed. "I am doing this because I have always liked you, I think that I might even love you. I have always admired you determination to master Firebending. I think that makes you a better Firenbender than even Azula who seemed to have everything come so easily to her," said Mai. She really likes me, thought Zuko. "But what about my scar, I don't think that you would want a boyfriend that has a disfiguring scar that marks him as a disgrace," said Zuko. "I don't see that scar as a mark of disgrace, I see that it is a mark of bravery," said Mai. "Why," said Zuko. "Because from what I had heard, the only reason that you spoke out against that general was because he wanted to sacrifice a division of young soldiers who are at least as old as you are so they could use it for their advantage. I also think that it is brave that you refused to fight your father, a son shouldn't be forced to fight his father, no matter what the reason is," said Mai.

Before what Zuko knew what he was doing, he leaned close to Mai and kissed her on her lips. Since this was his first kiss he didn't know what to expect, but he actually liked what he felt. Sadly when he had to pull away to catch his breath. "I don't expect you to agree to this, because I might never come back to the Fire Nation, but if there is a chance that I find the Avatar and can come home, I would like for you to be my girlfriend when I come back to the Fire Nation," said Zuko. "Why can't I come with you on your search for the Avatar, I want to go where you go, I can defend myself and I have a lot of knowledge at being a healer," said Mai. "Mai, I will have to go to a lot of dangerous places, and I wouldn't know what to do if something happened to you. Plus I don't think that your parents would allow you to join me in my banishment, especially since your mother is pregnant and it would cause her a lot of worry if she didn't know what was happening to you," said Zuko. Though he had wanted to say yes, he knew that it would be better for her to stay in the Fire Nation. "Alright, if you won't let me come then I give you this promise, I will wait for you to come back to the Fire Nation, even is if it had to be a hundred years. I won't take any boyfriend besides you when you come back to the Fire Nation," said Zuko. Thank you said Zuko. For the first time since the horrific Agni Kai and his banishment, Zuko was actually happy.


End file.
